Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, August 29
Huntington, W.Va.
5:30 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
at
Marshall
Photo by: EMU Athletics/Randy Mascharka
EMU Volleyball Poised to Open 2014 Season at Thunder Invitational
8/27/2014 11:49:00 AM | Volleyball
The Eagles will kickoff the campaign with three matches at Marshall University
| Complete Release (.pdf). | vs. Marshall: Live Stats/Live Video | vs. Virginia: Live Stats | vs. Illinois-Chicago: Live Stats |
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - The Eastern Michigan University volleyball team opens the 2014 campaign on the road at the Thunder Invitational held by Marshall University in Huntington, W. Va. The Eagles will play in three matches at the Cam Henderson Center in just two days, Aug. 29-30.
EMU will open with the tournament host, Marshall, Friday at 5:30 p.m. The Eagles then compete in a double dip on Saturday, first squaring off with Atlantic Coast Conference foe, Virginia, at 1 p.m. before hitting the hardwood against Illinois-Chicago on Saturday evening for a 5 p.m. matchup.
SENIORS SET TO SHINE: The Eagles have a trio of seniors who are ready to lead the Eagles into the 2014 season. Jill Briner, Megan Crawshaw and Natalie Folk are in their final seasons of eligibility at EMU and look to take Eastern back to the Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship match this year.
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE OPPONENTS: EMU has only played in 22 matches combined against this weekend's foes. The Green and White takes on Marshall for the 13th time in both squads' histories. Marshall, once a member of the Mid-American Conference, has seen the Eagles own the all-time series with a 9-3 record. Eastern took the last match in which these two teams squared off, Aug. 14, 2011, by a 3-0 tally.
The Cavaliers of Virginia have only seen the Eagles twice previously. EMU has taken both of those contests; Eastern knocked off Virginia, 3-0, Sept. 9, 1990 in their last bout at a tournament held by Dayton.
Finally, the Eagles will lock up with Illinois-Chicago in their final match of the tournament. This contest will decide a deadlock tie as the Green and White has gone 4-4 versus the Flames. In the last time out, Eastern took a 3-1 decision back in the Windy City, Sept. 1, 2012 when playing in the Illinois-Chicago Invitational.
NEW EAGLES LAND IN YPSI: The EMU volleyball squad has four new faces roaming the locker rooms in the Convocation Center this season. Between a trio of freshmen and one junior college transfer, the Green and White look for solid production out of its newest additions.
Head Coach Kim Berrington brings in Melva Smith from Suburban College in South Holland, Ill. Smith transferred from the junior college after earning NJCAA Second Team All-American honors. Smith was a First Team All-Region selection and led the nation in solo blocks, while ranking fourth in the country in total blocking and points, while ranking sixth in the NJCAA in kills.
Mallory Rajewski comes in as a setter from Midland, Mich. Rajewski missed her senior season due to an injury but racked up a number of accolades at Midland High School prior to being sidelined. Rajewski was a three-time All-Saginaw Valley League team member, including a pair of second team nods and a first team honor in her junior season. She was named to the all-state honorable mention list after she set a Midland High School record for assists. The setter played her club ball with the Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy and was a member of the first team to win a qualifier, while being ranked as high as 14th in the nation.
Jaclyn Ruffolo joins EMU as a preferred walk-on defensive specialist. The Farmington Hills, Mich. native attended Mercy High School and was a member of a three-time district champion team. In 2012, the Marlins won a regional championship, earning a spot in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Class A Quarterfinals. In her first season competing on the varsity squad, Ruffolo helped the Marlins to a Catholic High School League Championship.
Samantha Falco earned a spot with the Eagles after a successful career at Antioch Community High School. The 6-foot 4-inch middle/outside hitter was a varsity letterwinner in three seasons as a Sequoit. She was named to the Daily Herald's All-Area team following her junior and senior seasons, while earning All-North Suburban Conference honors as well. She earned Antioch's Best Teammate Award and Most Valuable Player at the conclusion of the 2012 season. In addition, Falco was an all-academic team member.
BRINER BROUGHT IT IN 2013: Senior setter/outside hitter Jill Briner showcased her versatility during the 2014 season after transferring from Northeastern in a multitude of ways. Briner appeared in all 34 matches, starting 29 of them. She led the team in assists (862) and aces (44). The Oak Park, Ill. native led the MAC in aces per set at 0.35 per frame. Briner posted five double-doubles and four triple-doubles, while averaging 1.27 kills, 6.84 assists, 0.35 aces, 2.20 digs, 0.35 blocks and 1.80 points per set on the season.
BLOCK BOOKS: Eastern senior middle blocker Megan Crawshaw has proven to be a force at the net defensively. In three seasons, Crawshaw has recorded 278 block assists which rank eighth in EMU's all-time records. She trails the all-time leader Jill Hutton by 124, at 402 blocks. In her sophomore season, Crawshaw notched a career-high 125. With a repeat performance of that season, her total would make her the all-time leader.
WELCOME BACK TO YPSILANTI: New Assistant Volleyball Coach Shayna Munson is no stranger to the Convocation Center and Ypsilanti, Mich. The Temperance, Mich. native was a part of the EMU program for four years from 2001-2004. Two seasons as a student-athlete and two as a student assistant coach. In two seasons with EMU, Munson appeared in 63 matches and accumulated 644 kills, averaging 2.85 kills per frame. The Temperance Bedford graduate excelled from the service line averaging 0.24 aces per set, while she also posted 0.85 blocks per frame in her career.
CATCH THE ACTION ON EAGLE ALL-ACCESS: For the fifth-consecutive year, the Eastern Michigan Athletic Media Relations Department will offer live broadcasts of each EMU volleyball match during the 2014 season. Chad Bush will be your play-by-play man, while Athletic Media Relations Graduate Assistant Chloe Smith will serve as the analyst.
All 10 home matches will be provided over the internet with both audio and video coverage. To subscribe to Eagle All-Access, head to EMUEagles.com/showcase. Subscriptions start at $6.95 for a 24-hour pass, $10.95 for an entire month and $79.95 for a full calendar year. The next scheduled broadcast is Sept. 9, when the Eagles square off with IPFW. The coverage will start at 6:50 p.m
BERRINGTON'S 19TH SEASON AT EMU: Head Coach Kim Berrington is entering her 19th season as head coach of the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team. The seventh coach in the program's history, Berrington became its winningest coach on Sept. 20, 2003, as the Eagles posted a victory over East Carolina in the Coastal Carolina Tournament. The victory was Berrington's 110th win at the helm of the EMU program. During her tenure as head coach at EMU, Berrington has posted an overall record of 269-260 and a 132-151 mark in conference play.
In 12 of the last 13 seasons, she has led the Eagles to the MAC Tournament, with the 1999 campaign marking the first time the squad played in the postseason event since the 1990 season. Her teams have also led the MAC in digs in eight of the last 13 seasons, ranking nationally in six of those campaigns, including last season when 17.49 digs per set was good for 30th in the NCAA.
EAGLES PICKED FOURTH IN MAC PRESEASON POLL: EMU was selected to finish fourth in the West Division of the 2014 Mid-American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Ball State was the league coaches' decision to finish first in the West, while Ohio was selected as the top team in the East.
EMU will open with the tournament host, Marshall, Friday at 5:30 p.m. The Eagles then compete in a double dip on Saturday, first squaring off with Atlantic Coast Conference foe, Virginia, at 1 p.m. before hitting the hardwood against Illinois-Chicago on Saturday evening for a 5 p.m. matchup.
SENIORS SET TO SHINE: The Eagles have a trio of seniors who are ready to lead the Eagles into the 2014 season. Jill Briner, Megan Crawshaw and Natalie Folk are in their final seasons of eligibility at EMU and look to take Eastern back to the Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship match this year.
ALL-TIME AGAINST THE OPPONENTS: EMU has only played in 22 matches combined against this weekend's foes. The Green and White takes on Marshall for the 13th time in both squads' histories. Marshall, once a member of the Mid-American Conference, has seen the Eagles own the all-time series with a 9-3 record. Eastern took the last match in which these two teams squared off, Aug. 14, 2011, by a 3-0 tally.
The Cavaliers of Virginia have only seen the Eagles twice previously. EMU has taken both of those contests; Eastern knocked off Virginia, 3-0, Sept. 9, 1990 in their last bout at a tournament held by Dayton.
Finally, the Eagles will lock up with Illinois-Chicago in their final match of the tournament. This contest will decide a deadlock tie as the Green and White has gone 4-4 versus the Flames. In the last time out, Eastern took a 3-1 decision back in the Windy City, Sept. 1, 2012 when playing in the Illinois-Chicago Invitational.
NEW EAGLES LAND IN YPSI: The EMU volleyball squad has four new faces roaming the locker rooms in the Convocation Center this season. Between a trio of freshmen and one junior college transfer, the Green and White look for solid production out of its newest additions.
Head Coach Kim Berrington brings in Melva Smith from Suburban College in South Holland, Ill. Smith transferred from the junior college after earning NJCAA Second Team All-American honors. Smith was a First Team All-Region selection and led the nation in solo blocks, while ranking fourth in the country in total blocking and points, while ranking sixth in the NJCAA in kills.
Mallory Rajewski comes in as a setter from Midland, Mich. Rajewski missed her senior season due to an injury but racked up a number of accolades at Midland High School prior to being sidelined. Rajewski was a three-time All-Saginaw Valley League team member, including a pair of second team nods and a first team honor in her junior season. She was named to the all-state honorable mention list after she set a Midland High School record for assists. The setter played her club ball with the Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy and was a member of the first team to win a qualifier, while being ranked as high as 14th in the nation.
Jaclyn Ruffolo joins EMU as a preferred walk-on defensive specialist. The Farmington Hills, Mich. native attended Mercy High School and was a member of a three-time district champion team. In 2012, the Marlins won a regional championship, earning a spot in the Michigan High School Athletic Association Class A Quarterfinals. In her first season competing on the varsity squad, Ruffolo helped the Marlins to a Catholic High School League Championship.
Samantha Falco earned a spot with the Eagles after a successful career at Antioch Community High School. The 6-foot 4-inch middle/outside hitter was a varsity letterwinner in three seasons as a Sequoit. She was named to the Daily Herald's All-Area team following her junior and senior seasons, while earning All-North Suburban Conference honors as well. She earned Antioch's Best Teammate Award and Most Valuable Player at the conclusion of the 2012 season. In addition, Falco was an all-academic team member.
BRINER BROUGHT IT IN 2013: Senior setter/outside hitter Jill Briner showcased her versatility during the 2014 season after transferring from Northeastern in a multitude of ways. Briner appeared in all 34 matches, starting 29 of them. She led the team in assists (862) and aces (44). The Oak Park, Ill. native led the MAC in aces per set at 0.35 per frame. Briner posted five double-doubles and four triple-doubles, while averaging 1.27 kills, 6.84 assists, 0.35 aces, 2.20 digs, 0.35 blocks and 1.80 points per set on the season.
BLOCK BOOKS: Eastern senior middle blocker Megan Crawshaw has proven to be a force at the net defensively. In three seasons, Crawshaw has recorded 278 block assists which rank eighth in EMU's all-time records. She trails the all-time leader Jill Hutton by 124, at 402 blocks. In her sophomore season, Crawshaw notched a career-high 125. With a repeat performance of that season, her total would make her the all-time leader.
WELCOME BACK TO YPSILANTI: New Assistant Volleyball Coach Shayna Munson is no stranger to the Convocation Center and Ypsilanti, Mich. The Temperance, Mich. native was a part of the EMU program for four years from 2001-2004. Two seasons as a student-athlete and two as a student assistant coach. In two seasons with EMU, Munson appeared in 63 matches and accumulated 644 kills, averaging 2.85 kills per frame. The Temperance Bedford graduate excelled from the service line averaging 0.24 aces per set, while she also posted 0.85 blocks per frame in her career.
CATCH THE ACTION ON EAGLE ALL-ACCESS: For the fifth-consecutive year, the Eastern Michigan Athletic Media Relations Department will offer live broadcasts of each EMU volleyball match during the 2014 season. Chad Bush will be your play-by-play man, while Athletic Media Relations Graduate Assistant Chloe Smith will serve as the analyst.
All 10 home matches will be provided over the internet with both audio and video coverage. To subscribe to Eagle All-Access, head to EMUEagles.com/showcase. Subscriptions start at $6.95 for a 24-hour pass, $10.95 for an entire month and $79.95 for a full calendar year. The next scheduled broadcast is Sept. 9, when the Eagles square off with IPFW. The coverage will start at 6:50 p.m
BERRINGTON'S 19TH SEASON AT EMU: Head Coach Kim Berrington is entering her 19th season as head coach of the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team. The seventh coach in the program's history, Berrington became its winningest coach on Sept. 20, 2003, as the Eagles posted a victory over East Carolina in the Coastal Carolina Tournament. The victory was Berrington's 110th win at the helm of the EMU program. During her tenure as head coach at EMU, Berrington has posted an overall record of 269-260 and a 132-151 mark in conference play.
In 12 of the last 13 seasons, she has led the Eagles to the MAC Tournament, with the 1999 campaign marking the first time the squad played in the postseason event since the 1990 season. Her teams have also led the MAC in digs in eight of the last 13 seasons, ranking nationally in six of those campaigns, including last season when 17.49 digs per set was good for 30th in the NCAA.
EAGLES PICKED FOURTH IN MAC PRESEASON POLL: EMU was selected to finish fourth in the West Division of the 2014 Mid-American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll. Ball State was the league coaches' decision to finish first in the West, while Ohio was selected as the top team in the East.
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